Well, it has begun again this year .... any guesses? Dog pooh! Went to one of our regular properties today and the yard was full of "land mines". First, it's an unpleasant order; second, it gets slung all over the equipment; and finally, it gets all over you!

I hate it! We have one customer who thinks about US and although she doesn't pick up, she goes out and sprays the piles away (she also has a very green back lawn :P).

Soooo....what is the answer?:confused: If you charge more for it, you chance offending the customer (wouldn't care in some cases)? There is actually a service here locally that picks up yards...do we refer them? or do we just keep going?

How do you handle this issue?

bobbygedd

03-23-2004, 06:27 PM

cant pay me enogh for it. it gets on the equipment, on the trailer, in the truck, and all over the next customers lawn too. and also, one time when the wacker hit it, i got it in my eyes, mouth, and hair. no more

BSDeality

03-23-2004, 06:30 PM

i just mow right over it. I ride a sulky so it doesn't get on my boots either.

Davis Lawn Mowing, LLC.

03-23-2004, 07:12 PM

I would either charge extra if they dont want to clean it up or I ask them to clean the dog bombs the day before I am scheduled to come.

competitiveimageland

03-23-2004, 08:14 PM

thier is actually a company up here in nj ,and that believe it or not that is all they do it , clean up afster your dogs, the name of the company is the best part MAJOR DOODY

Premo Services

03-23-2004, 09:04 PM

Originally posted by competitiveimageland
thier is actually a company up here in nj ,and that believe it or not that is all they do it , clean up afster your dogs, the name of the company is the best part MAJOR DOODY

I have two customers that have this service done a couple times a week. I am very glad they have this service, they have big labs, and would mountains of it all over the place if they didn,t. I wish all customers with pets had the service done. I believe it was the only service they offered also. I can,t remember the name though, but it had something about the smelly stuff in the name. :eek: :D

lawnman_scott

03-23-2004, 09:15 PM

I have bigger worries.

Peakpm

03-23-2004, 09:29 PM

Bobby I had the same thing happen to an employee they were not happy. It sucks!! Iíve heard of people putting in there contracts that if its not picked up they charge extra every time, not to pick it up just because its there. I don't know I hate it but I know thereís no way I could get away with charging for it being there.

Kalamir

03-23-2004, 10:25 PM

Out here in the st. louis area it is called "Yuckos" or something like that....if you do a search on LS, the person who actually runs the business has posted on this site. If my memory serves me right that is.:confused:

jt5019

03-23-2004, 10:28 PM

Depends how bad it is.If its not much i just deal with it . if it was real bad i would ask them to try and pick some up before i arrive or just try to mow around the piles i see.

bastalker

03-23-2004, 10:34 PM

Originally posted by competitiveimageland
thier is actually a company up here in nj ,and that believe it or not that is all they do it , clean up afster your dogs, the name of the company is the best part MAJOR DOODY

Just think of all the fringe benifits.......;)

I just mow over it...It if gets outta hand, I will let the customer know.

LAWNS AND MOWER

03-23-2004, 10:34 PM

I remember last year a member here offered some great advice. Can't remember who it was though. He had a customer who would refuse to clean up after her German Sheppard. He would ask her to clean up and after a month of her not doing anything, he finally had enough. He got his boots covered in doggie doody, then went to the ladies door and asked if he could use her bathroom. LMAO!!!!!

crawdad

03-24-2004, 08:27 AM

Look for evidence of dogs, and their by-products, WHEN YOU ARE THERE THE FIRST TIME. Price accordingly, and if neccesary, tell them why you are charging 40 bucks for such a small yard. "So I can go to the car wash after I leave here, so as not to spread the stools to other yards."
I just can't believe how much of a big deal this is to some people. What's the fecal matter with you folks?
Crawdad

Rhett

03-24-2004, 09:03 AM

Every year this comes up. If it is just a pile or two I pick it up. If they have not picked it up for a whole week I charge. Usually will tack on a 10 dollar fee. For the time it takes I make better money then mowing and am only using a shovel.

Lux Lawn

03-24-2004, 09:47 AM

If it is a problem all the time then nicely tell them about it and refer them to the dog clean-up service thats what I do.

proenterprises

03-24-2004, 10:59 AM

unless the yard is completley filled with it, its usually not that big of an issue. mow over it, use their hose to wash town tires and deck afterward. when trimming. go high over it or around it.

if it gets excessive, speak to them about it.

cdawg12

03-24-2004, 12:36 PM

I tell them I mow around the land mine areas and they still get charged the same. nobody has complained yet

Eric 1

03-24-2004, 12:40 PM

Originally posted by proenterprises
unless the yard is completley filled with it, its usually not that big of an issue. mow over it, use their hose to wash town tires and deck afterward. when trimming. go high over it or around it.

if it gets excessive, speak to them about it.

Thats what i do.

jajwrigh

03-24-2004, 12:56 PM

Me too...its not that big of a deal. I do have a customer who said he is going to pick it up weekly so I don't have to deal with it. I'll believe that when I see it!

Expert Lawns

03-24-2004, 05:08 PM

I give them a warning about it if it gets too nasty out there. If it's not cleaned up, I tell them I have to add $2 per week to wash my equipment. Dog poo smells, attracts bugs and flies, and gets tossed on everything. It's a vicious cycle. It's even worse with the weed whacker.

sgoalie23

03-26-2004, 07:41 PM

If it gets bad i talk to the customer about cleaning up the piles. If they don't and their is an excessive amount of crap, i make their yard smell by spreading it around so you can smell it in the house.